Colorado Rural Health Center
2025 Annual Report
About CRHCOutreachWorkforcePolicy and AdvocacyEventsFLEXCCMTop 10 FacilitiesCancer ScreeningSHIPRural ConnectivityCREATEFinancials
A Letter from the CEO
A Letter from the CEO
Members and Partners,
On behalf of the staff and board of the Colorado Rural Health Center (CRHC), I want to thank you all for your continued support of the Colorado Rural Health Center, the State Office of Rural Health and Rural Health Association. And I want to thank you for your unwavering support for rural health across Colorado.
As the State Office of Rural Health and Rural Health Association, CRHC’s mission is “to enhance healthcare services by providing information, education, linkages, tools and energy towards addressing rural healthcare issues” and our vision is “to improve healthcare services available in rural communities to ensure that all rural Coloradoans have access to comprehensive, affordable, high quality healthcare.”
In 2025, CRHC was able to invest $3.7 million in grant funding for our members and $.81 of every dollar is spent on CRHC programs!
With workforce being one of the largest issues faced by our rural communities, CRHC worked through our Colorado Provider Recruitment and Retention (CPR) Program and had 13,096 direct referrals to active jobs. The team also produced a Student to Practice Resource Guide, Recruitment and Retention Handbook and E-Catalog, and a Workforce Environmental Scan.
CRHC also had a big year for Policy with the passage of the Stabilization Payments for Safety Net Providers bill (SB25-290), which was a partnership with the Save Our Safety Net Coalition (SOSN). In addition, Policy and Legislative Committee meetings were held with members during session and CRHC testified 12 times.
Programs and educational opportunities continued to grow with over 400 people educated in one program alone. CRHC’s programs also helped rural communities reduce readmission rates that resulted in over $547,000 savings. Data and Dashboard availability was expanded to include 16 Dashboards with clinical and financial data. And 111 rural eligible facilities participating received R7 payments of $100,000 for CAHs and $20,000 for RHCs.
CRHC continues to prioritize celebrating rural communities through Safety Net Clinic Week, National Rural Health Day, and the Top 10 Rural Healthcare Facilities Awards, new in 2025.
CRHC hosted The Colorado Rural Healthcare Conference, our new combined event with two different tracks for our hospital and clinic members with 276 attendees. The Snapshot of Rural Health continues to expand to 104 pages in 2025. This invaluable resource brings more data and information to our rural communities, rural stakeholders, and policy makers. Finally, even more of this data is available interactively online on our website.
As the Chief Executive Officer for CRHC, it is my honor and privilege to serve rural Colorado. With your ongoing support, CRHC will continue to be a voice and resource for rural Colorado. Thank you!
About the Colorado Rural Health Center
The Colorado Rural Health Center (CRHC) is Colorado’s nonprofit State Office of Rural Health. CRHC works with federal, state, and local partners to offer services and resources to rural healthcare providers, facilities and communities. We have a diverse and inclusive statewide constituency serving organizations in every corner of the state.
Established in 1991 by members of the Colorado Rural Health Consortium, Colorado Rural Health Center (CRHC) was created with start-up support from the State Office of Rural Health (SORH) Grant and several public and private organizations around the state. CRHC was developed as a nonprofit organization and is one of only three nonprofit offices of rural health in the country.
Our mission is to enhance healthcare services in the state by providing information, education, linkages, tools, and energy toward addressing rural health issues. Our vision is to improve healthcare services available in rural communities to ensure that all rural Coloradans have access to comprehensive, affordable, high quality healthcare.
Board of Directors
Jennifer Riley – CRHC Board Chair
Chief Executive Officer, Memorial Regional Health
Tammy Dunker – CRHC Secretary/Treasurer and PLC Chair
Director, Rangely Family Medicine
Doug Miller, FNP-BC, MSN – CRHC immediate past Board Chair
Retired Nurse Practitioner, Rocky Ford Family Health Center, LLC
John Leavitt
CEO, The Colorado Network
Jayden Miracle
Clinic Manager, Melissa Memorial Hospital and Clinics
DeeAnn Sierra
Chief Quality/Safety Officer, Employee Health Infection Control Nurse, Rio Grande Hospital and Clinics
Dr. Michael Vargas
Family Physician, Grand River Hospital District
Kay Whitley
President/Chief Executive Officer, Spanish Peaks Regional Health Center
CRHC receives grant funding each year with one mission: to pass the benefits on to rural facilities and to make their work more successful.
“Strengthening rural healthcare is not optional—it is essential. When we invest in rural communities, we protect lives, improve outcomes, and ensure that no matter where someone is, care is within reach when it matters most.”
Member Outreach
CRHC serves as the State Office of Rural Health and State Rural Health Association and strives to be the foremost resource for rural healthcare resources and connections in the state. Each year, CRHC updates existing publications and creates new resources for members across the state.
Snapshot of Rural Health
CRHC recorded 792 downloads on the 2025 edition of the Snapshot of Rural Health. The Snapshot, in addition to the Regional Snapshots provide invaluable assistance to grant writers, policy makers, and the public.
The Snapshot expanded to 104 pages in 2025 and included new data on the LGBTQ+ population in the state and new information on access to care, coverage, and an expanded maps section.
Click here to read the LATEST edition, the 2026 Snapshot of Rural Health.
NEW! Telling Your Story: A Communications Toolkit
CRHC produced a brand new tool, available for members only, in 2025. Telling Your Story: A Messaging Toolkit for Rural Healthcare Facilities was released to assist members in grant writing, press release writing, advertising, social media use, and more.
NEW! County Health Rankings App
CRHC’s data team has used data from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s County Health Rankings to create the following interactive tool that will help you and your team visualize the state of rural health in your rural or frontier county.
The tool provides data and visualizations to identify how rural counties compare within the state and nationally across 30 different measures from County Health Rankings. The tool allows for the comparison of individual measures along with an overall index which combines a county’s scores across all the health measures to provide an overall picture of health. The 2025 version was the first to be put online in an interactive tool. Additionally, the 2025 version was the first to rank rural Colorado counties to rural peers nationally.
This resource is available to CRHC members only.
CRHC in the News
- Colorado Rural Health Center Celebrates Safety Net Clinic Week in Naturita
- Colorado Rural Health Center Honors Southeast Colorado Hospital’s Steve Sanchez for the 2025 Rural Health Excellence Award
- Colorado Rural Health Center Sounds Alarm Over Proposed Cuts to Rural Health
- Colorado Rural Health Center Releases 2025 Snapshot of Rural Health
- Colorado Rural Health Center Honors Top Rural Healthcare Facilities for Overall Performance
- Colorado Rural Health Center Celebrates National Rural Health Day with Southwest Health System
Colorado Provider Recruitment and Retention (CPR)
The Colorado Provider Recruitment and Retention Program is your dedicated partner in building a robust healthcare workforce across the state. Our mission is to support rural Colorado clinics and hospitals in attracting and retaining top-tier professionals for underserved areas, ensuring that communities have access to high-quality care. Our unique program connects providers, who are passionate about serving safety-net patients in rural Colorado, with their perfect Colorado home. Join us in our commitment to enhancing and expanding healthcare delivery in Colorado. With the Colorado Provider Recruitment and Retention Program, you’ll have the support and resources you need to build a strong, dedicated team that meets the needs of your patients and community.
Colorado Health Service Corps (CHSC) Loan Repayment
The Colorado Department of Health and Environment partners with the Colorado Rural Health Center to evaluate and award loan repayment to primary care providers working in designated health professional shortage areas. CRHC also has a seat on the governor appointed CHSC advisory council.
Student Presentations and Outreach in 2025
- University of Colorado College of Nursing Career Fair
- Northeastern Junior College Nursing Career Fair
- CRHC Student to Practice: Advanced Practice Providers student presentation
- University of Colorado Rural Midwifery student engagement
- CAFMR Career Fair
- Pickens Tech MA, DA and Pharm Tech student presentation
- Red Rocks Community College student presentation
- COPIC Practice Essentials student presentation
- 7 site visits to rural clinics/hospitals for in-depth review of workforce/ recruitment and retention strategies
- Hosted 10 virtual educations via 3RNET
- 497 welcome emails sent to new health professionals registered on 3RNET and interested in Colorado.
Workforce Resource Publications
Student to Practice Resource Guide
Recruitment and Retention Handbook
Recruitment and Retention E-Catalog
Environmental Scan 2025 Report
The Workforce Environmental Scan collected data from February to November, 2025. This scan collected 26 responses from students and the incoming workforce, and 44 responses from current workforce members. The key focus areas of the scan are barriers to entering and sustaining healthcare careers, job search and recruitment preferences, and scope of practice and career priorities. See the results here.
Community APGAR Project Closeout
Strategic Roadmap for Operational Excellence & Workforce Development
The Community Apgar Program is a nationally renowned, research-driven program designed to assess readiness for recruitment of providers. The research findings underscore the specific community factors that play a key role in the recruitment and retention of providers to rural healthcare settings and help build a strategic recruitment plan.
- Completed Year 2 CAH Apgar
- 6 participating CAHs with representation around the state
- Top 10 Factors (state-level): Collegiality, Income guarantee, Loan Repayment, Hospital Leadership, Provider Workforce Stability, Teaching opportunities, Inpatient Care (scope of practice), Emergency room coverage (scope of practice), Take Home Pay, Signing Bonus
- Bottom Factors (state-level): Spousal satisfaction, social networking, access to larger community, shopping and other services, allied mental health workforce, perception of community, k-12 schools, nursing workforce (quantity & quality combined), endoscopy (scope of practice), televideo support
NEW! Workforce Pipeline Initiative
This new grant funded program is being called PROVIDERS (Promoting Resources, Opportunities, Vocations, Internships, and Developing Educational Routes Successfully) and focuses on designing a GYOP that supports individuals interested in healthcare careers through structured, wrap-around mentorship and learning experiences throughout the entirety of the program. Eligible candidates are students who are currently enrolled in a healthcare training program or are interested in upscaling their current certification or degree within the medical field (i.e., Registered Nurse to Nurse Practitioner. Students will be compensated financially to support wrap-around needs such as tuition, transportation, childcare, housing, and certification fees while also receiving mentorship from their community’s healthcare leaders. Facilities will be provided with training in evidence-based methods for identifying, recruiting, and retaining high quality students.
CRHC has partnered with 4 rural health clinics specifically chosen for their commitment to sustainable workforce solutions:
- Northeast Colorado Family Medicine Associates in Sterling, CO
- Family Practice of Holyoke in Holyoke, CO
- St. Vincent Health in Leadville, CO
- Lake City Area Medical Center in Lake City, CO
Funding for PROVIDERS From
Policy and Advocacy
Each year, CRHC’s Policy and Advocacy Team works tirelessly to ensure that the interests of our members are represented on the state and federal capitals.
CRHC Bill Positions
Support
| HB24-1005 | Health Insurers Contract with Qualified Providers |
| HB24-1036 | Adjusting Certain Tax Expenditures |
| HB24-1055 | Child Passenger Safety and Education |
| HB24-1002 | Social Work Licensure Compact |
| SB24-010 | Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact |
| SB24-018 | Physician Assistant Licensure Compact |
| SB24-001 | Continue Youth Mental Health Services Program |
| SB24-055 | Agricultural & Rural Behavioral Health Care |
| HB24-1149 | Prior Authorization Requirements Alternatives |
| SB24-116 | Discounted Care for Indigent Patients |
| SB24-121 | Licensure of Critical Access Hospitals |
| SB24-130 | Noneconomic Damages Cap Medical Malpractice Actions |
| HB24-1287 | Access to State Grant Opportunities |
| SB24-168 | Remote Monitoring Services for Medicaid Members |
| HB24-1312 | State Income Tax Credit for Careworkers |
| HB24-1231 | State Funding for Higher Education Projects |
| HB24-1237 | Programs for the Development of Child Care Facilities |
| SB24-034 | Increase Access to School-Based Health Care |
| SB24-221 | Funding for Rural Health Care |
| HB24-1472 | Raise Damage Limit Tort Actions |
Monitor
| SB24-057 | Agricultural Workforce & Suicide Prevention |
| SB24-082 | Patient’s Right to Provider Identification |
| HB24-1010 | Insurance Coverage for Provider-Administered Drugs |
| SB24-141 | Out-of-State Telehealth Providers |
| HB24-1218 | Ground Ambulance Service Rates & Billing |
| SB24-175 | Improving Perinatal Health Outcomes |
| HB24-1459 | Birth Equity |
| HB24-1153 | Physician Continuing Education |
Policy Win: SB25-290 Stabilization Payments for Safety Net Providers
CRHC partnered with the Save Our Safety Net Coalition (SOSN) to champion SB25-290, which leverages private contributions, state funds and federal matching funds to provide immediate support for primary care safety net providers impacted by the Medicaid unwind and subsequent sharp increase in uninsured patients.
Events
NEW! The Colorado Rural Healthcare Conference
The Colorado Rural Healthcare Conference was our new event in 2025, combining our previous Forum and Annual Conference together to foster collaboration and strengthen the rural healthcare delivery system. With two different tracks catering to hospitals and clinics separately, this conference was designed to bring a variety of rural healthcare partners together to dive deep into topics most relevant to their roles and organizations, and inspire solutions to the health related challenges rural communities face.
In addition to specialized tracks, attendees came together to share keynote sessions, networking opportunities, and an exhibitor showcase, which allowed participants to exchange ideas, form partnerships, and explore the latest innovations and resources tailored for rural health settings.
@GAVLICKPHOTO
@GAVLICKPHOTO
Happy Hour Puppies, sponsored by Colorado Computer Support
@GAVLICKPHOTO
@GAVLICKPHOTO
Safety Net Clinic Week
Safety Net Clinic Week (SNCW) is a week-long celebration of the rural safety net clinics in Colorado, held every year in August. To celebrate Safety Net Clinic Week 2025, CRHC hosted a luncheon for policymakers, funders, providers, and other healthcare partners at Basin Clinic in Naturita, CO.
CRHC chose to honor Basin Clinic for their dedicated service to rural Montrose County, and in light of their recent recognition as a CRHC Top 10 Rural Healthcare Facility for Overall Performance. Basin Clinic was chosen for this award based on their participation in quality improvement activities, excellence in innovation, and a commitment to the health of local communities.
“The Basin Clinic is honored to have been chosen as the featured clinic for Safety Net Clinic Week. Our team has been working hard to meet our Mission to provide exceptional, compassionate healthcare. Like all clinics, we do the best we can with the limited resources and dedicated team members to provide healthcare to our communities. Thank you, Colorado Rural Health Center, for your work and dedication to advocate for our clinics.”
National Rural Health Day
National Rural Health Day, which occurs on the third Thursday of November each year, is presented by National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) to celebrate the “Power of Rural” and honor rural healthcare across the country.
For National Rural Health Day 2025, the Colorado Rural Health Center traveled to Cortez, CO to honor the team at Southwest Memorial Hospital for their incredible commitment to quality improvement, patient care, and service to their community and beyond. CRHC provided a lunch for Southwest Health System’s staff, board, and members of the community, with a proclamation read by Lisa Gates, the Southwest Health System’s CNO.
“We’re honored today to have CRHC recognizing the good work at Southwest Health System and the work we do every day to care for people. It’s a real honor to have our staff, our caregivers, and the people in our community who we partner with every day together to celebrate rural healthcare nationally, within our state, and in our own community.”
Joe Theine, CEO, Southwest Health System
NEW! National Rural Health Day Photo Contest
As part of our National Rural Health Day celebration last year, CRHC hosted our first ever Power of Rural Colorado Photo Contest as an opportunity for our members to show us Colorado through their eyes.
As a celebration of the people, places, and stories that define Colorado’s rural communities, there were three categories to this contest: Rural People, Rural Landscapes, and Rural Life and Infrastructure.
NEW! Education Week
In 2025, CRHC launched a new free virtual education series called Education Week. This week-long series offered focused educational sessions presented by CRHC’s partners, designed to support and strength rural healthcare across Colorado.
Federal Grants Keep Rural Healthcare Alive!
The Colorado Rural Health Center is funded by three federal grants – State Office of Rural Health (SORH), Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program (SHIP), and Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (FLEX) Program. To read more about how these essential healthcare grants have sustained rural healthcare across the nation for decades, read CRHC’s infographic laying out the differences in the grants and the accomplishments under each!
“Colorado Rural Health Center [has] been instrumental in supporting our rural practice to provide care to our community. They support us in grant opportunities, recruitment and finding resources that we would otherwise not have access to. Please protect this valuable resource!”
FLEX Grant Funded Services
Quality Innovation Lab
Through the Colorado Rural Health Center’s (CRHC) Flex Program, fifteen Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) actively participated in a monthly Quality Innovation Lab designed to strengthen implementation of the Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP) Quality Infrastructure Elements. Spanning two grant fiscal years, this work reflects a sustained commitment to building organizational capacity for quality improvement. During FY24, participating CAHs focused on advancing two of the nine MBQIP elements: embedding quality within the organization’s culture and operations, and fostering workforce engagement and ownership in quality initiatives. Building on this foundation, FY25 marked the introduction of a new focus area: engagement of patients, families, partners, and the broader community, further expanding the scope of quality efforts to ensure a more inclusive, patient-centered approach to care delivery. Expand the sections below to read more about our work through the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program (Flex)
Quality Boot Camp
In August 2025, CRHC’s Flex Program expanded its quality improvement offerings by launching a new Quality Boot Camp, anchored in the Foundational Playbook for Quality Practice in Your Organization. This training provided CAHs with a comprehensive introduction to the core principles of quality practice, emphasizing that quality is not solely the responsibility of a dedicated department, but a shared commitment across the entire organization. Participants explored key methodologies for problem-solving and performance improvement, including an understanding of variation and its critical role in quality thinking. The Quality Boot Camp sessions were hosted in two locations across the state, expanding access and encouraging broader participation. In total, 15 Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) were represented, reflecting strong engagement and interest in building foundational quality improvement skills. By offering the training in multiple locations, CRHC’s Flex Program was able to better support rural providers and foster collaboration among participants, further strengthening a statewide network committed to advancing quality practice.
Regional QI Workshops
In August 2025, the Flex Program also launched Regional Quality Improvement Workshops to further support CAHs in strengthening their performance measurement capabilities. Hosted in four locations across the state, these workshops engaged a total of 30 participants, providing an accessible, hands-on learning environment for rural providers. The sessions focused on Designing and Implementing Useful Measures to Understand and Improve Organizational Performance, equipping attendees with practical strategies to select meaningful metrics, align measures with organizational goals, and use data to drive improvement efforts. By emphasizing actionable measurement and real-world application, these workshops helped participants build confidence in their ability to assess performance and implement data-informed quality initiatives.
Chronic Care Management (CCM)
CCM is a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) program that allows primary care providers to support their patients with multiple chronic diseases through monthly touchpoints and other support services and be reimbursed for their time doing so. CCM aims to improve the lives of individuals living with chronic conditions while also saving the healthcare system from extra spending. CRHC’s yearlong CCM Program, which is part of CRHC’s Colorado Rural Sustainability (CORS) Network, helps rural clinics establish their CCM programs by providing technical assistance to build the care team and the necessary components and processes. During the first two years of the CCM Program, readmission rates have decreased leading to cost savings for participating rural clinics
Dollars Saved by CCM and CORS Participants
Top 10 Rural Healthcare Facility for Overall Performance
The Colorado Rural Health Center (CRHC) presented 10 rural hospitals and clinics with the “Top 10 Rural Healthcare Facility for Overall Performance” award. Presented during The Colorado Rural Healthcare Conference, the award recognizes participation in CRHC programs and reflects a commitment to quality, innovation, and service to the community. Read the press release!
Hospital awards were presented based on cumulative performance across the quality, outcomes, and patient satisfaction pillars from the Chartis Center for Rural Health Hospital Strength INDEX Reports.
The top 5 rural clinics awards are based on three critical factors:
- Program participation in CRHC’s Rural Connectivity Program, Chronic Care Management Program, and Healthy Clinic Assessment Program
- Utilization of the Community Analytics Platform through Rural Connectivity Program
- Improvements made through the Health Clinic Assessment Program.
Colorado Cancer Screening Program (CCSP)
The Colorado Rural Health Center (CRHC) and the Colorado Cancer Screening Program (CCSP) have partnered together to offer monthly trainings, technical assistance sessions, and technical resources aimed at increasing Colorectal Cancer (CRC) screening in rural parts of the state.
The Colorado Cancer Screening Program (CCSP) is a statewide program that partners with local, state, andnational clinical and community partners to implement evidence-based interventions (EBI) for cancerscreening, patient navigation, and population based research in cancer prevention and control in order topromote health equity. The CCSP facilitates training and technical assistance for healthcare teams toimplement cancer prevention and control initiatives aimed at reducing barriers and increasing access to care.The program is coordinated through the University of Colorado Cancer Center with core funding from theCancer, Cardiovascular, and Pulmonary Disease (CCPD) Grants Program along with additional grants andinitatives.
SHIP Grant Funded Activities
The Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program (SHIP) funds, which are directed through each hospital’s State Office of Rural Health (SORH), allow rural hospitals to participate in shared savings programs; and to purchase health information technology, equipment, and training to comply with quality improvement activities. The services provided through SHIP are at no cost to the hospital or offer financial assistance. SHIP Webinar trainings included webinars with ARCHPRO Coding and with Technology for Healthcare Excellence (THE) Consortium members led by PrivaPlan.
CRHC host
ed five free on-demand webinars by Haugen, covered by SHIP in 2025. CRHC partnered with Haugen Consulting Group to support coding and revenue cycle staff across our member facilities by offering high-quality, flexible education. This initiative was designed to help ensure teams stay current with coding updates and have the opportunity to earn continuing education credits. Each participating facility had access to Haugen Academy webinars, carefully selected to address timely and complex coding topics. Each session included 1 AHIMA/AAPC-approved CEU.
Rural Connectivity Program (RCP)
CRHC’s Rural Connectivity Program is a program funded by the Office of eHealth Innovation, Department of Health Care Policy and Financing and in partnership with Carina Health Network and Contexture. The goals are to establish a sustainable model for rural connectivity, including connecting providers to Colorado’s Health Information Exchanges (HIE) and supporting rural America’s underserved rural population with analytics and data.
Community Analytics Platform
Carina Health Network makes available a Community Analytics Platform (CAP) that provides a comprehensive suite of analytics to allow rural health providers to view population health metrics, costs of care, and operational opportunities. By accessing the analytics provided through the CAP, CRHC provides technical assistance to providers with initiatives that address developing programs, understanding costs, refining workflows, improve outcomes, and population health strategies.
Available 2025 Dashboards:
- Diabetes Screening and Diagnoses
- Cancer Screenings and Diagnoses
- Cardiovascular Disease Screenings and Diagnoses
- Outmigration Overview
- OB Desert Report
- Medicaid Attribution and PHE Unwind
- Shared Populations Report
- ADT Summary
- Adult Immunizations
- Childhood Immunizations
- COVID-19 Patient Management
- COVID-19 Trends and Distributions
- COVID-19 Vaccination
NEW! Innovaccer Platform
In 2025 the Carina Health Network launched the Innovaccer platform, a claims analytics platform available through the Rural Connectivity Program.
There are currently 3 modules available within the Innovaccer platform:
- Innovaccer Cost Management Module
- Demonstrates trends in cost and utilization identified by category: inpatient, outpatient, medications, and professional.
- Innovaccer Risk Management Module
- Provides data on payer performance, practice performance, gap to potential risk, and RAF scores.
- Innovaccer Attribution Management Module
- Includes insights on member enrollment, demographics, churn rate, and ways to prevent member churn
Rural Connectivity Infographics
CREATE
The Colorado Resource for Emergency and Trauma Education (CREATE) is a reimbursement grant program that assists urban and rural EMS and trauma entities with training and education to improve the emergency and trauma services system in Colorado.
Approved CoursesDollar Amount Approved for Courses |
Amount DistributedDollar Amount Distributed to Agencies |
2025 Financials
CRHC operates with a diverse stream of revenue. The following chart lays out 2025 funding sources for the organization.
2025 Operating Revenues
Organizational Sponsors, 2025
Modern Sponsors
Classic Sponsors
Bridge Sponsors
Organizational Funders, 2025
